What Harbor freight tools do you give 5 stars?

[Triple_Se7en]

Originally Posted by P10crew
What Harbor freight tools do you give 5 stars?


All their free stuff....... flashlights, cloths, scissors, tape measure......etc.

 

[buck91]

Chicago Electric 120v impact wrench. Easily the best bargin out there at $40 on frequent sales. I have also had outstanding service from their sockets and ratchets; specifically the 1/2in impact sockets. Mine have been beaten to [censored] and back without a problem (including cheater bars, hammering on breaker handles, using a drifts and beating on them with hammers). They also seem to grip fasteners very well.

I should add, that I repacked the gear grease in the impact wrench.

 

[Greggy_D]

Composite ratchets

 

[maverickfhs]

Voltmeter, impact screw driver(huge success for brake rotors and other things) and angle grinder - win win

 

[Macsignals]

Ratchets (used to use Craftsman, no more Sears around here to swap them out every month...), 7mil nitrile gloves, oil filter wrenches, Sawzall blades, paint respirator, Chicago Electric 120V impact wrench, impact sockets, breaker bars, jack stands, 3 ton floor jack.

I'm sure there's others but that's off the top of my head. I have a $25 HVLP gun I have to try out yet. If that doesn't work well no big deal Eastwood is an hour away.

 

[BHopkins]

Five star? None of the Harbor Freight tools that I've purchased, or seen in the stores, are deserving of 5 star. There are many of them that are 4 star.

I've never personally bought one of their angle grinders, but some of my friends have. They tell me that they are great tools for the money, and last a long time. That is, when you get a good one after returning the first one or two when the bearings go out. That's not 5 stars. Maybe 3 stars.

In preparation for doing maintenance on my SL550, I recently bought a set of metric long ball head hex sockets. The 4mm already rounded out when I was torquing a drain plug. Three stars.

I've got metric and SAE sets of 1/4 hex drive nut sockets. The magnet fell out of the 8 mm the first time I used it. Three stars.

The dvm is OK. The price is right. But the leads are non-standard, so when they get damaged, the meter will go in the trash. I use the HF for quick simple checks. But when I have serious measurements to do, or will be using a meter for a lot of measurements, I use my Fluke 187. The meter gets 3 stars.

The pick and hook set that they sometimes give away for free is good. But the handle plastic is too slick, so they tend to slip out of my fingers when I'm working with lubricants. But considering the price, I'd give them 4 stars.

The Daytona 3 ton low profile floor jack that I recently picked up is nice. But when I topped off the hydraulic oil in it, I noted that one of the threaded screw holes in the cover plate was drilled and tapped out of position, making the machine screw go in crooked. No excuse for something like this with today's computer controlled machining. But in China labor is cheaper than automation, and short term profits are higher priority than long term profits that result from customer satisfaction. So 4 stars.

Jack stands work well. But one of the welds is incomplete, and the release handles aren't formed as well as my other set of jack stands. 4 stars.

I do like the 9 mil disposable gloves. They hold up well. Although I haven't used a lot of other 9 mil gloves to compare them to, I would give them 5 stars. So maybe that is an exception.

Yes, I still shop HF for some items. But when it comes to tools, I try to live by the philosophy that a poor man can only afford to buy the best tools, so he only has to buy them once. I may not be poor. But I've found a lot of truth to that old saying.

 

[Red91]

So far so good with mine. I've got them and I have some Stanley expert deep well sockets for my 3/8 drive and they all work pretty well. Here and there the experts have been replaced with ever craft and Carlisle sockets from Napa, but only maybe two of them. 10mm, 13mm and 15mm, so I guess that's three.

 

[Red91]

Well, you're not wrong, but often a poor man can't afford that initial purchase price, and doesn't want to be in debt to the snap on truck.

 

[4WD]

Originally Posted by sloinker
Originally Posted by 4WD
I don't support China Freight


Getting harder and harder to find stuff built here. Are there any power or pneumatic tools still manufactured in the U.S.?


I know = and I'm paying a bit extra when I do - that store helped things go the wrong way IMO …
and I'd rather see it from Mexico or _______ anywhere but China …

 

[P10crew]

Here's another one where they screwed up and made a top of the line tool.

Their 50' Hose reels are Mack daddy! Throw the hose away and install you favorite. Take the swivel apart replace the orings with Parker rings and lube the swivel and rings good with Dow Corning high vacuum grease. I have 4 of these in my shop and love them. 2 of them are 10 plus years old. They offer these in both 3/8 and 1/4. I also ditch the hose donut.

 

[RyanY]

Originally Posted by Red91
Well, you're not wrong, but often a poor man can't afford that initial purchase price, and doesn't want to be in debt to the snap on truck.

^this
The few snap on tools I have are solid performers but I really dont like them very well. In fact I dont think I have used my snap on 1/4 and 1/2 ratchets in 2 or 3 years. I want to like them but prefer the feel of my 1/4 generic and my 1/2 craftsman from the 70s. As for HF, their sockets are good (better than Husky IMO) but a little too much bevel on the edge. For sockets I definitely prefer higher end models (or Craftsman are pretty good, too).

 

[dwcopple]

Originally Posted by clinebarger
2 Ton Aluminum floor jack

^^^

4" angle grinder
Box end wrenches
Oscillating tool

 

[4WD]

Originally Posted by Fawteen
None. It's cheap chinese garbage that has no place in my garage.


Some don't like cheap - like my PM Supt - We are starting an older operation back up and I just signed a PO for $11K in Proto tools

 

[bchannell]

While I'm not saying everything there is good, or bad, for that matter, I have quite a few that are pretty darn good.
*New 1/2" electric impact wrench (bright red, not the old maroon one, which I also have and it's still going strong after years of use, given to neighbor)
*Cordless 1/2" impact wrench, great tool, few years old, has removed truck beds on 10 year old trucks no sweat, original batteries going strongiciiic
*1/2" Pittsburg Pro ratchet set with sae and metric sockets, fantastic tool
*Chicage Electric sheetmetal shears, used and abused, still going strong after many installs
*CE buffer polisher, still going strong after many, many car wax jobs
*CE side grinder, older tool, never a hiccup
*jackstands, are great
*CE vibratory multitool, not used much, but work fine so far
*Brand new Hercules cordless screwdriver used for HVAC installs, best one I've owned (from a guy who had most of the M12 and M18 tools Milwaukee makes)
*PP screwdriver set, my favorite, almost never use my full set of Kleins
*various hand tools

I havent' tried the new hand tools like cutters and pliers, but they look ok to me. I'm a tool snob, I do professionally use a lot of Klein, Crescent, etc for HVAC, but I also use a lot of HF. I like the new Milwaukee hand tools too. HF has some good stuff, so why not.
I bought some of these tools thinking I'd only use them a time or two and ended up beating them to death, like the sheetmetal shear, and it simply keeps on going like a champ. People keep saying it's hit or miss, but I've been hitting a lot. Lucky I guess.

 

[dlundblad]

I have a 3/8 ratchet and 1/2 24" breaker bar that's held up very well.

Handy tool wise, I like their $2 orange handle pick set, any of their 2 ton and up jacks, and the hose pinch clamps.

I bought their tie rod end puller last year and have used it twice. No complaints with no bending, fatigue etc.

 

[Ozonkiller]

They must have stepped up their impact sockets. The set I bought a number of years ago were garbage. They split one after another...

 

[HangFire]

Originally Posted by dlundblad
I have a 3/8 ratchet and 1/2 24" breaker bar that's held up very well.

Handy tool wise, I like their $2 orange handle pick set, any of their 2 ton and up jacks, and the hose pinch clamps.

I have 2 sets of these picks and I'm not a fan. The chrome plating comes off, and the flakes contaminate what I am trying to clean.

 

[HangFire]

Funny I was in the local HF last evening, for the first time on months, with a 25% coupon burning a hole in my pocket.

The blue HD nitrile gloves are a winner, picked up a box. Am trying the four sided diamond coated knife sharpener block, will report back.

Really went for a DA polisher, but the Vulcan was not on the shelves, the Chicago Electric was not DA, and the coupon did not apply to the Bauer. So no good cheap DA for me.

 

[JC1]

The impact sockets are great. I beat one up years ago with a sledge hammer to remove a wheel bearing. Didn't split.

Earthquake impacts are great. I will be picking up the 3 ton jack that's on sale.

The 18 Ga Brad nailer Isnt bad for the price. I can't recall buying a real piece of junk from HF.

I just did a warranty exchange for the 1/2 torque wrench that I bought in 1999.

 

[stanlee]

3 ton low profile floor jack has been nothing short of wonderful. Have had it for years. Corded cut off wheel hasn't broke yet, also have had for years but moving away from corded tools (it's the last one I still use).